Mayor Belen Fernandez deliberated on the city government’s efforts to curb the impact of climate change during the Regional Climate Change Caravan hosted by the Department of Education (DEPED) Dagupan City Schools Division Office (SDO) at the Bonuan Buquig National High School (BBNHS) on November 6, 2023.
Anchored on the theme ‘Empowering Humanity in Response to Climate Change for Sustainable Communities’, the event featured engaging activities for students to address climate change.
“In our own little way, as long as we are united in creating solutions, we can help address the critical problem of climate change and understand our own roles to minimize its effects in our community,” the mayor stated.
Thru the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and other line government agencies, Dagupan has launched its flood mitigation programs that include road and drainage construction and dredging; El Niño Phenomenon awareness campaign; river and creek clean-up and rehabilitation thru Task Force Bantay Ilog; waste segregation and management, among other projects to adapt to climate change, according to the local chief executive.
Similarly, a bayanihan-style ‘operation sitio’ has started where residents make use of dredging materials and mixed gravel for backfilling of sidewalks or pavements in sitios with the assistance of the City Engineering Office.
Featured activities during the climate change caravan included a mangrove tree-planting tour; search for the best booth exhibit on practices in adopting to climate change; video infomercial contest; three-dimensional art trash contest; search for investigatory project proposal on climate change and quiz bee; spoken word poetry and poster-making contest; booth exhibit; and environmental forum.
Mayor Fernandez, meanwhile, commended the BBNHS for serving as a climate change advocate thru its award-winning Ilog Ko, Aroen Ko program on mangrove propagule planting which was hailed as the Top Prize Winner in the T4 World’s Best School Environmental Action category on October 19, 2022.
DEPED Assistant Regional Director Dr. Rhoda Razon, Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) Dr. Rowena Banzon, Assistant SDS Dr. Marciano Soriano Jr., BBNHS Principal Markconi Taroma, regional SDO officials, program supervisors, teachers and students participated in the caravan.
